Fire Orange-Red
by johnyM4
Summary: A young, avid trainer leaves Pallet Town to become the best damn trainer he can. Sounds familiar right? Well things will certainly change in this re-imagining of Kanto, where things are never easy. Not for our protagonist Nik.


"Well…. Shit."

These were the only words Nik could utter from his exhausted and bruised body. The rain was coming down heavily, chilling his bones to the core and reminding him of the cuts and huge bruise on his leg from that asshole of an Ekans.

He stood in the center of the gravel road, still in slight shock of the events that had just transpired. Nik bent his head low and turned to look at the only Pokémon he'd obtained on his not so successful journey (which was actually given to him). Bulbasaur looked up at his new master, trying to find a shred of hope in his trainer's eyes.

"Bulba…" was the only thing uttered by the grass type while it lowered its head as if sighing. In only a span of a few minutes, Nik and Bulbasaur had lost all of their food, their tent, and the backpack as a whole to a damn Fearow.

Nik shook his head suddenly, trying to get out of his stupor, and covered his head with the hood of his jacket. He jogged to the side of the road, looking to take shelter under a nearby tree. Bulbasaur followed quickly, out pacing his new owner and sat under the tree first shivering slightly. Nik sat beside the green Pokémon, Indian style, who abruptly jumped in his lap nuzzling his chest for warmth. Nik placed his hand on the Pokémon's head, scratching in attempt to soothe it. Bulbasaur shut his eyes napping in its trainers lap while Nik contemplated on what his next move should be. He was miles from pallet town and this rain was quickly becoming a monsoon.

_Maybe I could use the satellite phone….no that was in the bag,_ he thought to himself.

_I could make a fire… no all this wood is to freakin' wet to burn. Fuck! _

With all his options running out rather quickly he just yelled for anyone in ear shot who could possibly help.

"Hey! Is anyone there?!" he looked frantically back and forth trying to find any kind of human contact. All he could hear was the loud pitter patter of rain. Nik hit his head hard against the tree with the back of his head.

"Well…. Shit…." He uttered one more time as he slowly drifted off into unconsciousness.

_Earlier that day _

"WHAT THE HELL?!", Nik yelled as he fell out of his bed.

_RIIIING! RIIIING! RIIING!,_

Niks' Charizard alarm clock went off, "Jesus! Shut the fuck up!". Nik crawled quickly over to his nightstand and hit the snooze button so hard, it could have easily broken the clock. He climbed to his feet lazily while promptly scratching his ass, heading to the bathroom.

He wiped the remaining sleep from his eyes, his vision clearing to reveal the various items in his room. Various video-game and movie posters, along with a bikini model with a Pokéball between her breasts, littered the cream colored walls. Clothes scattered the floor and food lay in front of his computer due to long nights of raiding and grinding on Warcraft.

In Niks eyes it was a Goddamn paradise.

As he showered he began to remember why had woken himself up before eleven A.M.

_That's right! Today is finally the day! , _he thought excitedly.

He dried off fast and dressed just as quickly donning a pair of black cargo pants, a black long sleeve padded hunting shirt, and a simple red hoodie. Nik then moved swiftly to his desk and pushed various items of food out of the way to find his handy dandy checklist.

Nik sat on his bed and began to review the note, his red camping backpack opened next to him.

_Food_

He unzipped his bag and searched inside finding it full of assorted rations from Bushes bake beans to Jack Link Jerky. _Nice._

_Water_

He dug in his bag for his canteen and after acquiring it, shook it next to his ear. Satisfied with its contents he looked back to his list.

_First aid_

Nik reached in his bag once again and pulled out a steel box with a crude cross drawn in red sharpie. He opened the box and inspected the various medical wares from bandages, alcohol, antibiotics, and other medical crap he probably wouldn't need. Like a "body fluid clean up kit", who the hell would use that?

He closed the box and checked his handy list again.

_Hatchet_

"Where did I put that thing…", he grumbled to himself. He looked around his cluttered as shit room, searching for his favorite lethal weapon and or tool. He finally found the small axe in small chest under his desk. He opened the steel box and examined the hatchet.

It was black, a carbon fiber Steele alloy, if memory served him. The handle was equipped with a comfortable rubber grip and a strap at the end of the handle so it wouldn't be dropped or thrown accidently (like a Wii remote); it even included flint on the opposite side of the blade to start fires.

Putting the hatchet on his belt he looked over his list one last time. Flashlight, radio phone, compass, his tent, and other generic survival crap. Feeling satisfied that he had everything he could ever need; he hurried out of his room.

Nik crept into the kitchen and swiped a pop tart, his breakfast rituals beckoning him. As he crept to the front door and picked up his hiking boots he heard a familiar voice that shook him to the core.

_Oh God. I'm too late…_

"NIK! Where on God's green earth do you think you're going!", his mother moved from the living room to right in front of him in the blink of an eye, yelling the entire time.

"Leaving without telling your own mother goodbye! What the hell is wrong with you! YOU ARE SO UNAPPRECITATIVE! I even membered your birthday! Did you forget!? You forgot, didn't you! You are just so-"

"MOM JUST SHUT UP!".

Mrs. Simpson stood there her mouth opened slightly, completely taken back. She then looked away abruptly and began to cry. "I just don't want you to go! I'll miss you! I…. I know it's what you want but… but your still my only baby….". She looked back towards Nik still weeping.

Nik, feeling guilt knot in his stomach like a vice, moved closer to her in an embrace to make some kind of attempt to console her. "Look mom…. You're awesome and living here has been great but… but I need to do this. I want to be a trainer and see the world. Do something and make some kind of difference…. Like-"

"Your father" she interrupted.

"I couldn't stop that man when we first married…. I guess I can't stop you either." She smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Nik left his house shortly after, giving his mother a proper goodbye and promises that he would send back as much money as he could. As Nik finally began to walk onto the streets of Pallet he felt motivated but at the same time a bit apprehensive.

Now Pallet town was on the frontier of the Kanto region, receiving a very high number of Pokémon attacks and mutilations. Due to its high mortality rate, the town was rather small, with a population of only a couple thousand. Large Steele walls and fences were all that stood in the way of wild Pokémon and the humans that colonized there domain.

The outside of the wall was covered in scorch marks from fire and electric types, huge dents made from the pressure of water gun and hydro pump attacks, and cuts and slashes made from razor leaves. Guards patrolled the fences armed with high caliber rifles to kill larger, heavy plated Pokémon like Rhyhorn. It wasn't unheard of in Pallet to hear a gunshot or two in the middle of the night nor to hear the cries of injured civilians hurt by various Pokémon.

Nik knew the dangers of leaving the safety of the walls but he didn't want to live the rest of his days in this prison of a town. He wanted to see the world, to catch, train, and befriend Pokémon just like his Dad.

His father had taught him long ago it was much better to befriend these powerful creatures rather than just blatantly killing them. This was their home after all and we had to learn to cope and understand them, so in time, they could learn to understand us.

Or some bullshit like that. He couldn't exactly remember.

Nik walked along the gravel path headed to professor Oaks' lab. Oak was a renowned Pokémon researcher and a good friend of his father. Now being eighteen, nick could legally own and handle Pokémon, and had arranged with Oak to receive his first. Nick continued walking down the road at an even pace, even though he was slightly shaking with excitement. He started to think about what his starter would be. Maybe a Charmander….. or a Pikachu! He remembered at one point seeing some kid with a weird hat had one that he never put away, always talking about being a "Pokémon Master" or something.

_God that kid was a douche,_ he thought suddenly.

As neared the dome shaped building that was Oaks lab, he saw a person being carried by a Machoke toward the Poké Center next to it. The man seemed to be an older guy wearing a lab coat and was bald, no doubt an assistant of professor Oak or something. He was holding his leg, crying bloody murder, and Nik could see why. He saw two razor leaves sticking out of the man's thigh and he was bleeding profusely. His coat was covered in blood and his sleeve had been ripped off and was rapped rather poorly around the wounds. A trail of red followed the bulky Pokémon as the doors of the automatic doors of the Poké Center shut.

_Probably cut an artery…. Poor bastard. _

Situations such as these were a common sight living on the frontier, but it still made him nervous knowing he would be out facing the same perils. Nik walked up to the dome shaped silver building, noticing the metal sign above the door reading: "_Pallet Research Center"_

He quickly made his way to the large iron door and attempted to pull it open.

Locked. _Would I really expect anything different?_ , he thought.

Nik looked up into the watching eye of the security camera and called out. "I'm here to see the professor. He said he was expecting me". A second or two passed before he heard a click from the door and proceeded to open it. As he entered the building his footsteps echoed against the glossy tile. He looked at the vast numbers of books stacked in high metal cases. There were various rooms with machinery and computers ranging from what looked like a giant microwave to a glass electro… thing.

Still walking around and looking at the various equipment, he nearly jumped when Oak came around from behind a book shelf at the end of the room motioning Nik to hurry over. Nik moved quickly across the white tile, eager to receive his Pokémon.

Nik was lead back into the professors' office and shut the door behind him. The office was rather small with a wooden desk, a couple of chairs in front of it, along with various portraits of Oak and his family and other plaques and awards for Pokémon activism.

The professor sat comfortably on the other side of his desk while simultaneously motioning for Nik to sit. Nik sat quickly and placed his bag next to his chair.

"Well I know you're ready to head off so I'll keep this brief."

_Thank Christ, _Nik thought.

The aged Pokémon specialist leaned back in his chair as he spoke, "I'm not going to lie to you Nik. Out, past the gate, moving from city to city can be hell. I know because when I was your age I too left the…", at this point Nik began to shut out Oaks' long ass speech.

_Oh here we go. Why the hell can I not just go already! All I want to do is get my freakin' Charmander and get out of this town. He always pulls this shit with me! "Back in my day" this and "A long time ago" that, just on, and on, about useless bullshit! I have waited almost ten years of my life to finally do this and what's my final, huge hurtle? Not the exams, or a broken leg, but some old fart that cannot just shut the fuck u-_

"Which is why I believe you are finally ready for the responsibility of this", Oak reached under his desk and set a very shiny, silver briefcase onto the top it. He opened the case towards Nik revealing a single red and white Poké Ball.

"Where uhh… are the other two?", Nik asked quizzically.

"Well I told you there are so many new trainers heading out that I don't have the time to catch more stock Pokémon and keep up demand."

"Yeah…. Right". Nik picked up the small red and white orb and pressed the center button. He jumped slightly as it instantly grew in his hands. "What is it?", Nik asked lowering the ball.

Oak chuckled and replied, "Only one way to find out." Nik tossed the ball to the tiled floor and it opened releasing an impressive array of light. In the center of the spectacle, a small green looking dinosaur thing with a giant onion on its back, emerged from the ball and looking around as if confused. The thing looked up to Nik slowly. It smiled and rubbed its head against his leg murmuring "Saur, Saur, Bulbasaur!"

"I think he likes you."

Nik looked down at the small green Pokémon. As he examined it he noticed something odd about this particular Pokémon. He'd seen Bulbasaur before and knew they had dark patches on their bodies, but this one only had one that went across his face like a Zorro mask. It was a really odd looking little frog…. dinosaur…. Whatever.

"Its…. Pretty cool. I guess…" Nik said with little enthusiasm. As Nik reached up to call it back Oak reached out quickly to stop him. "Whoa there! Remember what I said? It's always best to keep at least one Pokémon at your side to sense for others."

"Oh. Yeah, yeah alright. Well I'd better get moving. Viridian is a long way off. Let's roll Bulbasaur." "Saur!", was the grass types response. "I'll see you two out the gate", Oak said following behind.

They left Oaks' lab and headed for the main town gate. As they neared the main gate Nik couldn't help but notice the number of armed guards and militia men. He never really only ever knew one guard growing up, a drinking buddy of his father, a nice enough guy. The others from what he heard were incredibly serious about their work, fighting off dangerous Pokémon and bandits. Some used Pokémon to help fight threats while others preferred a more modern approach.

All were armed with various weapons ranging from pistols, pump-action shotguns, and even various assault rifles. Each also wore different pieces of heavily used combat armor covered in cuts, dents, and scorch marks. The only thing that remained constant between them was a patch of the pallet town crest on their shoulders (A red ring with a Pidgeot in the center spreading its wings while looking up).

One guard in particular walked over to Nik and the Pokémon professor. From what Nik could remember this was the captain; Nik noticed his name tag said "McMullen". He was very tall, around 6' 4, and was fuckin' jacked. He walked right up to the professor and stared at him behind his dark aviators. He wore a camo cap along with a black tactical vest which had duct tape patched on in various places, along with a very large revolver on his hip. Along with the large machete on his back, there was also an M-16 rifle slung over his massive left shoulder.

Along with all of this lead spewing firepower, a large battle scarred Arcanine walked to his left glaring intently on the humans nearing his partner. He crossed his large arms and spoke, "Well, what do we have here", his voice was low, rough, and was cockney in some way. Whether it was Australian or British, Nik couldn't tell.

"Sendin' anotha' brat into no mans' land, eh Oak?", he turned to Nik sizing up the soon to be casualty.

"Just let the kid head out Ryan," Oak tried to plead. Nik could tell there was some kind of history between these two he didn't understand, and really didn't want to.

"Not until this lil' bitch knows what's on the other side of that fuckin' wall." He turned to Nik and continued speaking. "I'm sure the old man didn't tell you about half the shit that goes on out there. The death, the carnage, it's fuckin' spectacular! Aint' that right shepherd?", he looked to his Arcanine who gave low, soft, growl in response.

He got within inches of Nik and looked down at him, arms still crossed. Nik could see the glare he was giving in the reflection of the captains' dark shades.

"But this lil' chicken shit… I don't know old man. He doesn't look like he'll make it through the night."

Nik instinctively reached for his hatchet but the professor split them up. "Just open the gate Michael.", stating firmly to the captain. Though he was old, Oak didn't take shit from anybody.

The Captain grinned and put his hands up in surrender. "Fine. It's your funeral kid". He gave a hand motion to other guards to open the gate. As they did, the open green fields revealed themselves like rolling waves against the wind. Nik slowly stepped out into the world beyond, followed by his new partner. Nik turned around waving goodbye, looking at his home being slowly separated from him by the lowering gate. Oak stood with his arms behind his back smiling while McMullen stood next to him, arms still folded, grinning wickedly as the gate lowered in front of them.

Once the gate lowered completely, he turned to his new partner "That guy was an asshole, huh?", he stated laughing slightly.

"Saur!", was the small Pokémons' response.

_4 hours later_

"Bulba. Bulba. Bulba. Bulba SAUR!"

"Bulba. Bulba. Bulba. Bulba SAUR!"

"Bulba. Bulba. Bulba. Bulba SAUR!"

"I swear to Christ, if you start singing one more goddamn time I will literally punt you into a fuckin' tree!"

"Bulba…".

Nik and Bulbasaur had traveled for quite some time, both trying to find a means to entertain themselves. Nick had tried by naming off various playboy models in alphabetical order. He had gotten as far as Sara Underwood when Bulbasaur began to sing.

Nik, actually feeling guilty, knelt down and put his hand on the grass types head. He scratched it while it smiled happily forgetting its life was threatened by its new owner. The sky was beginning to become a dark grey and Nik knew that soon he would need to make camp. While Nick thought about the night ahead, Bulbasaur got a feeling of he and his new friend were being watched.

It sniffed the air quickly and looked towards an open field. The field was full of tall grass (a place every trainer tries their best to avoid) that stretched on until it ended at a tree line a few hundred yards away. Nik stiffened and turned the direction his Pokémon was facing trying to see the disturbance for himself.

"What is it?", Nik asked the grass type. Bulbasaur watched the tall grass for a sign of anything.

A twitch.

A growl.

Sudden movement.

All being scanned with its large red eyes. And sure as hell there was something...

_What the fuck is that?_ , Nik thought.

They watched as something long and purple... with...

"EKANSSSS!"

"Shit!", Nik stumbled back on the road falling on his back. He quickly recovered and got to his feet as fast as he could. "Bulbasaur, razor leaf!" Nik yelled. Bulbasaur quickly obeyed sending razor sharp blades of grass cutting down the tall blades of green hiding the snake Pokémon. It slithered quickly and malevolently towards the smaller Pokémon, showing off its impressive fangs.

_Finally! A chance to catch a freakin Pokémon! Just got to weaken it, non-lethal moves like..._

"Bulbasaur hurry up and hit it with tackle!". Bulbasaur moved quickly, swaying away from the snake types' dangerous fangs. It slid slightly on the dirt to flank, then unleashed a powerful slam to the snake types body.

"EKKKKK!", was what the Pokémon let out from the blow. It fell into the street moving and twitching. The sky was starting to trickle down small droplets of rain obscuring Niks' vision but not making him unfocused in the slightest.

"Finish it with another tackle!", Nik said pointing at the injured snake Pokémon. The Ekans stopped and stared at the human pointing at it. Ekans was apparently competent enough to know Nick was the one calling the shots and charged the young trainer.

_Ah, crap._

Nik reached for his axe as it charged, pulling it from his hip just as the large purple snake tried to constrict him. Its tail coiled around his leg, squeezing with incredible pressure. So much pressure in fact it was going to very soon break his femur. He used his arms to keep the mouth away from his, trying to maneuver the axe into the eye of the constricting snake.

Adrenalin coursing through his veins, Nik cried out to his partner, "RAZOR LEAF!, he choked out and in an instant Bulbasaur jumped into action firing a volley of razor sharp leaves.

As the attack made contact with the attacking Pokémon it immediately loosened its grip, rolling and coiling in pain on the ground. Leaves were stuck in its side and back while blood was beginning to flow out of the snakes' wounds.

In a last ditch attempt at survival, it charged Nik once more, moving behind and latching on to his back pack with its fangs. Nik was more than ready however, and in a split second, turned his body and cut a large piece off the Ekans' lower half in one swift motion.

The purple, lifeless tube fell to the ground gushing out an impressive amount of blood on the brown dirt all while twitching and twisting. The rain had begun to fall in full force washing the blood to the grass where the Ekans had once stalked.

Nik dropped his axe his axe and exhaled audibly and slowly moved to the lower dead half. He examined it while Bulbasaur moved in close to him seeming curios about the Pokémon he just helped kill. The lower half still twitched slightly, water moving over its purple glossy scales mixing with blood and flowing into the dirt.

Nik felt relieved to see the Ekans dead but felt guilty it had to die in the first place.

_Damn thing was probably starving to death..._

He turned around to see the head of the Ekans head half doing what the lower one was. It twitched slightly, its' yellow eyes staring into nothingness as crimson spilled onto the wet dirt road becoming thick mud.

Nik also noticed that his bag was missing, and saw the snake had it encased in its mouth, nearly swallowed.

"He tried to eat my freakin bag. Huh. Hungrier than I thought."

"Bulba" was the only response he heard. He looked at the bag and saw it had gone farther than one would think for the poison type. He tried to reach in and yank it out forcefully, but to no avail. He tugged and pulled, but with its fangs facing the opposite direction, there was no way.

_The Hatchet!_ , he thought suddenly.

The trainer looked at the black axe in the road, partly covered in mud and water. He jogged quickly towards it but as he did so saw a heard another noise.

Like as if someone was flapping a blanket. Or a carpet. No it had to be...

_Wings._

"FEAROW!".

Nik ducked quickly covering his head and dived to the ground just in time to miss the large birds' razor sharp, glistening talons.

The Fearow moved swiftly, wings tucked, as it dive bombed to its target. Bulbasaur attempted to stop the Fearow with his razor leaf but it moved to fast, and knocked the small grass type out of the way.

Nik picked up his head high enough to see the Fearow pick up the head half of the dead Ekans, stabbing its' talons into its scaly flesh.

"FEAROW", it screeched as it flew off with its prey. Nick got up and ran after the behemoth flying type.

"HEY! That's my bag you asshole!"Nik cried as he chased it to the edge of the forest where it disappeared behind a blanket of thick rain.

Thunder began to crackle overhead making him jump slightly and reminding of everything he had just lost.

"Well shit..." He said aloud.

* * *

_**Please be sure to comment and stuff... I love reading feedback!**_


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